Unbreakable Bonds
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: While on a trip to Modesto, Heath finds himself the target of an old enemy...and getting help from an unexpected source. Rated T to play it safe.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was two in the morning before Heath rode into Modesto and headed for the boarding house. Normally, he would have just camped for the night only, time and time again, he'd gotten the strongest impression to keep riding. He had wondered why. It wasn't like his business in the town was urgent or like he was carrying a large amount of cash on him. Still, as strong as the impressions had been, he'd kept riding. Soon he was standing inside Modesto's livery stable and handing the reins to the owner of the place, a graying haired gentleman by the name of William Styles.

"I'm surprised to see you up." Heath admitted as his friend took Charger's reins. "Though, I am glad to find you are. Wasn't sure how you'd feel when you came in the morning and saw Charger here without knowing beforehand I was coming,"

William sighed as he rubbed the reins in his hands. "Truth be told, with the horse auction starting tomorrow, I couldn't sleep." He looked at Heath as if to ask 'do I need to tell you why'?

Heath nodded slightly and turned towards the door; he didn't have to ask why the horse auction would affect the livery stable owner's sleep. He'd had the same problem the night before. "See you later," Heath exited the stable and headed for the boarding house. Walking down the boardwalk that ran through Modesto's main road, he passed one business after another. When he came to the saloon, he paused for a split second-even if there wasn't anything standing out to catch his attention.

" _Better watch the cards, boy," Nick laughed as Heath lost five dollars in the poker game the two were playing with William Styles and his son._

 _Heath, who had caught sight of Maggie-one of the saloon girls, growled silently. He seldom did that—eyed a waitress more than he did the cards. He didn't like getting caught doing such a thing-especially by Nick._

Heath shook his head as he continued walking; he needed to get to the boarding house. He just hoped they hadn't rented out all their rooms. Just before reaching the boarding house, he kicked a small grey pebble and sent it flying across the street. He then opened the white gate that stood in front of the two story building and walked through. When he stepped on the first board, he heard a creak. By the time he opened the front door, Heath had made a note to tell Andrew Jones his steps needed work.

"HEATH!" The very man Heath had just thought about opened a door that stood at the top of a flight of stairs that led up to the top floor. "It's good to see you! Though, what are you doing arriving in town this time of night…or morning, depending on how you want to look at it."

"It's what happens when a man doesn't make camp." Heath gave Andrew a crooked smile and then asked about the steps outside. "If you need someone to help you fix them, I'll be happy to help."

Andrew glanced down at the floor and then back up at Heath; his face turning slightly pink. "Do me a favor and don't tell my Mrs. She'll have my hide. She's been at me for the past couple of days to do just that, but we've been busy…" the man shrugged his shoulders. "I just haven't gotten around to it. I'll take you up on the offer only," he fidgeted slightly, "won't that interfere with the auction you need to go to? I mean, that is why you're in town, isn't it?"

Heath nodded. "Yes, but if I can get a bed for a few hours, I can fix a few steps before going to look at the horses."

"You're in luck. I have one room left, wasn't supposed to but the gentleman that was using it checked out early." A puzzled look appeared on Andrew's face as he said, "Though, I don't know why. All he did was go get a room over at the hotel." He then assured Heath that, as far as he knew, there was nothing wrong with the room.

"I believe you." Heath smiled as Andrew, who had walked over to a desk that sat off to the right of the stairs, took a key off the wall behind the desk, handed it to the blond haired cowboy and told him that he'd have room four. "See you in the morning." Heath started up the stairs. Once he stepped onto the second floor, Heath turned to his right and walked past room two before making a left turn; one that led into a small hallway that held three other rooms. Soon he was opening the door to the room Andrew had given him.

The moment he stepped in the room, Heath stiffened and put his hand on his gun. While he could see nothing-and with the moon's and stars' light shining directly through the window he could see clearly, he still got the funniest feeling he wasn't the only one in the room. Setting his belongs down on the floor, next to a chair that set against the west wall of the room, Heath made his way to the closet; its door was slightly open. He pulled his gun out of its holster and swung the door wide open-nothing. He then got down on his knees and cautiously looked under the bed…again nothing. Shaking his head he stood up. "You're more tired than you want to admit; you're feelings things." Heath said only to himself as he slid his gun back into his holster and moved his belongings into the closet. He then sat down on the bed, which sat almost against the east wall. After taking his boots off and setting his hat, along with his gun belt, on the small brown night stand that sat next to the bed, Heath lay down. For, while he told himself he was simply tired, could be wrong. If he was, he wasn't going to be without his firearm.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Heath, who had managed to get a decent amount of sleep, looked around the room. As far as the eye could tell, there was nothing unusual or out of place. Telling himself that it only proved how one's mind could play tricks on them if they were too tired, he walked out of the room. By the time Heath walked down the stairs, some of the other guests were already checking out.

"Food's on the table," Andrew, who was standing behind the boarding's house desk, gestured towards the kitchen. "You might as well eat before we go to work."

If it wasn't for the fact that Andrew looked rather nervous, Heath would have headed straight for the breakfast table. As it was, he walked up to the desk and asked the gentleman what was wrong. "Don't tell me nothing, either." Heath kept his eyes on his friend, sending an additional message… 'I'm not blind and I'm not stupid; so, don't play me for a fool'.

Andrew, who had known the Barkleys long enough to know that hiding anything from them was useless, got the message loud and clear. He lowered his voice, as he still had a few customers who were eating or still in their rooms. "How did you sleep? Was everything okay?"

Heath's eyebrows turned downwards as studied the man before him. Andrew hadn't acted like this the night before, what had changed? "I slept fine. Why?"

Thinking back to the talk he'd had with their local sheriff just that morning, Andrew sighed and shook his head. "That gentleman, the one I told you went to the hotel?"

Heath nodded. "What about him?" Even as he asked the question, he just knew what Andrew was going to say. Well, maybe not exactly. Still, after what he'd felt, Heath could pretty well guess.

"He told the sheriff, probably others too, that he left because…" Andrew looked around and lowered his voice even more. "He said the room was haunted. I told the sheriff the man was crazy, and that he'd been drinking a little before he rented the room." The pleading look in the man's eyes told Heath that Andrew wanted him to tell him that he, Andrew, was justified in blaming the former customer's alcohol for what the man was saying.

Heath, who didn't want to scare his friend, also wanted some answers. Since the horse auction was actually lasting three days, he gave Andrew a crooked smile. "Don't suppose you'd rent the room to me for the next few days?"

The relief the boarding house owner felt shown as a grin spread from one of his ears to the other, and his eyes started sparking. "Of course, I will! I'll even give you a discount if you'll just let people know you're using that room." He figured he didn't need to explain to Heath why he was making the request; he didn't.

"Don't worry about the discount." Heath handed Andrew the money for the room. He then headed into the dining room.

~oOo~

The noise in the Modesto Bank was quite loud. The banker, a bald headed, pudgy, fellow who stood five feet eight inches, who had a couple of visitors in his office, pointed towards the open door. "Shut that thing, I can't hear myself talk." The glare in his eyes added 'Even if it was quiet, why would we want our voices to be heard'?

"Yes, boss." The taller of his two visitors, one Howard Conners-a red headed man who stood five feet nine inches was standing near the door, did as the banker asked.

"You idiot! I told you, never call me that while in this bank! What if someone heard you? It's simply Mr. Tagen when you're in here!" The banker, whose full name was Michael Tagen, snapped. The last thing he wanted was to have someone realize the shady deals he was involved in. "Now, did you two do as you were told?"

"We couldn't." Tyler Miller, a dark haired man who stood almost six feet, spoke before Howard could. "He never made camp where you told us he'd be."

"Before you ask," Howard, who was looking at the fire that had begun to glow in his boss' eyes, hurried to add, "When he didn't show up, we hunted around in various spots that would have been perfect for someone to use as a campsite. He wasn't in any of them."

"Why do you want him so badly anyway? It's not like he's carrying anything of real value, and he's not a threat to any of our business'." Tyler slid his hands into his pants' pockets as he spoke.

"That's my business not yours. He's going to be seen in town sooner or later. I want the two of you to keep an eye open, get him and take him to my house, the one outside town." Michael, who also had a small home in town, snapped and then told the men they were free to leave. Once they did, Michael sat back and began quietly thinking about the past, back to a time when he and his late son traveled through Corning.

" _Your son was in the wrong, Mr. Tagen." Frank Sawyers stood, his hands on his hips, glaring at the pompous windbag in front of him. "None of us were threatening him, everyone here," the lawman pointed at the various men and women standing on Corning's main street, "saw everything that was said and done. Why Nate decided to draw on my deputy is beyond me or anyone here, only Heath Thomson killed your son in self-defense."_

Michael Tagen had wanted to call Frank Sawyer a liar, tell him that he was only covering for Nate's killer, but the man had too many witnesses backing him up on what had happened. He'd had no choice but to pick his son's body up and leave town. Later, he'd gone back with the intention of making Heath Thomson pay only to find that he was no longer in the area. He'd gone in search of 'that man' only life got in the way…until he'd found out by accident where Heath was. Too afraid to chance having any of the Barkleys around when he took his revenge, he'd waited until he learned that Heath was traveling to Modesto, alone. "Stupid fools best do as I told them," he muttered as he thought on Tyler and Howard.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Heath couldn't believe the how many people were at the arena where the horses would be shown. If someone were to paint a picture of the sight, Heath wondered if there would be enough room on the canvas. The auctions had always brought a crowd, but nothing like this. Even with this being the case, he managed to squeeze through the maze created by the men present as he made his way to the nearest barn. He was supposed to meet Benjamin Mason and discuss a private deal Jarrod had asked him to handle. Benjamin was a friend of the Barkleys and, from what Heath had seen on the few occasions he'd had an opportunity to talk with the gentleman, he was the salt of the earth.

"Heath!" Benjamin, who was grooming one of the horses, stepped out of the stall when he saw the blonde haired cowboy enter the building. "Sure is good to see you again!" The gentleman held out his hand and shook Heath's hand. Heath smiled and returned the greeting, even as he looked past his friend and saw a young woman standing towards the back of the barn brushing down another horse. Heath assumed the animal belonged to Benjamin—as the gentleman had said he had paid extra to reserve this particular building. Her dishwater blonde hair was done up in a bun that sat towards the back of her head. Heath guessed her to be roughly five feet three inches, maybe four.

"Name's Carlotta," Benjamin chuckled as he realized just who Heath was looking at. "She's my cousin." His chuckle grew just a little as Heath fidgeted slightly and looked away. Benjamin wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"Carlotta," he turned his head. "Come and meet Heath Barkley, the cowboy I've been telling you about."

Heath's eyes widened which, naturally, had his friend chuckling even more. "She insisted on coming with me to the auction, and I had to meet with you. I figured she might as well know something about you before you showed up."

"Hello, Mr. Barkley." Carlotta held out her hand and nodded towards her cousin. "Benjamin has told me a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you. Will you be sticking around for the whole auction?"

Heath threw Benjamin a soft glare simply for the fact that the man's eyes held laughter in them, along with the fact that it was obvious to Heath that Benjamin was fighting to keep from downright laughing. It made Heath wonder just what his friend had told Carlotta. "Yes, ma'am."

"You are a polite one; though, the name is Carlotta, I'm nobody's ma'am." Carla smiled at the handsome cowboy in front of her.

"Well, then my name is Heath. Mister Barkley sounds too formal." He then looked at Benjamin, as Carlotta excused herself...saying she needed to finish what she was doing. "Jarrod said you had a specific horse he wanted me to look at, one he might be interested in buying for Mother." Heath thought on his mother and her current horse, Misti. She was extremely close to that horse only the poor animal had been having one problem after another of late…enough so that Jarrod had thought it best to find another horse for Victoria.

"Yes, I do." Benjamin started to lead Heath to another stall when they heard a noise up in the barn. If the sound as if someone was in pain, Heath and Tyler wouldn't have noticed. As it was, they both hurried toward the loft. Since there was a ladder at each end of the loft, they both started climbing. The moment they stepped into the loft all Heath and Tyler could do for a second was stare. A red headed gentleman lay curled up in a ball acting as if someone had just kicked him in the groin.

"H….he a..ttt…acked mmm…eee!" The man on the loft floor pulled his right arm away from his body and pointed towards the corner of the loft.

Heath and Benjamin looked at the corner filled with a few bales of hay. They looked at each other and then back at the stranger on the floor. They could see a few empty whiskey bottles, yet they smelled nothing. Though, they had to fight to keep any laughter from coming out as the stranger managed to stagger to his feet. The man sure acted as if he might as well been drinking even if there was no smell of alcohol about him. "Wh…at is it? Are the th..ree of you in this to..ge..ther." The man stammered as he looked from the somewhat dark corner of the loft to where Heath and Benjamin stood.

While he had no clue to what the obviously disturbed man was seeing, Benjamin decided he might as have some fun. "Our friend wouldn't have hurt you if you didn't provoke him somehow." There was a twinkle in Benjamin's eyes as he spoke. Heath had to throw his poker face on to keep from laughing out loud. A part of him couldn't believe Benjamin was acting as if he could see someone, the other part wished he had spoken those exact words first.

"I didn't do anything! I was minding my own business!" Came the expected denial. However, even as he made the denial, Heath and Benjamin knew the man was lying. They might not have thought so only the man wasn't dressed like a stable hand or anyone else who might have a justified reason for being in the loft. It made them wonder who the man was and what he was doing.

"Well, mister," Benjamin folded his arms and glared at the man. "I paid good money to reserve this particular building for my animals, and I didn't pay you to do anything up here. So, whatever your 'business' is…do it somewhere else!"

The man threw his own glare only it wasn't towards Benjamin; it was to the empty corner of the loft. He then, having regained control of himself, hurried past Heath. Once he had climbed down ladder and left the building, Benjamin shook his head as he looked towards the hay in the corner. "That man is crazy." He then turned, tapped Heath on the shoulder. "Let me show you that horse Jarrod was talking about." He headed for the nearest ladder.

For Heath's part, he started to turn away only to feel a slight chill going down his back. The corner of the loft, which had been darker than the rest of the loft, was now filled with light…revealing that the building had a nice sized hole in one of the boards, allowing the sunshine from the outside to shine through. It didn't take a college education to realize that something had been in front of the hole. _"He said the room was haunted."_ Andrew's words, along with his own feelings from the night before, came back to Heath. Maybe the stranger who had fled the barn wasn't so crazy after all. Though, as Heath turned towards the ladder, he pushed the musings about some unseen spirit to the man who had fled. Who was the man and what had he been doing in the loft in the first place? It was a question that settled itself into a corner of his mind as he climbed down the ladder and exited the barn.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Heath walked out of the telegraph office that stood on the far end of town. After looking at the horse Benjamin had for sale, the blonde haired cowboy had thought it best if he wired Jarrod and let him know that he, Heath, was going to look at another horse Benjamin had after the auction was over. The horse their friend had shown Heath was just a tad bit too skittish in Heath's opinion, an opinion Benjamin admitted to sharing afterwards. As he headed back in town, Heath enjoyed the slight breeze that was blowing through the air. It felt great compared to the heat that had been around since morning.

As Heath walked down the street Carlotta walked out of Modesto's general mercantile…and about bumped into him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you." Embarrassed, she took a step backwards. "I thought you would be at the auction after you were through with Benjamin."

"Had some business to take care of," Heath told her and then, on the spur of the moment, asked if she had seen the stranger who had exited the building. He also asked if she happened to know who he was.

"I saw him, but I don't know his name. Though, I can tell you he hangs around a man by the name of Tyler Miller. Which means, he's no good. Can't be if he's friends with Mr. Miller, one of Modesto's residents. I never call him by his first name; I can't stand him, nor do I trust him. I told Benjamin that too. That is, when he asked the same question." Carlotta looked at Heath, her eyes full of concern. "Just what did he say to you while you were up in that loft." It was a question she'd asked her cousin only to be told not to worry about it. However, that wasn't going to stop her from seeing if Heath would tell her anything.

Heath shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing that made any sense," he told her and then started to excuse himself only to hear a man yelling out in pain- a sound that came from the alley way. He and Carlotta both hurried to the side of the building, though Heath made sure she stayed behind him. He was surprised to see a man lying on his side and holding onto his leg. A couple of crates were tipped over and a four by four board lay on the dusty ground. However, Heath was even more shocked to hear the words that came out of Carlotta's mouth.

"Mr. Miller! What on earth are you doing in the alley!" The fact that she stepped closer to Heath, did not pass Heath by. She must have been dead serious when she said didn't trust the man.

"If it's any of your business, I was waiting for a friend." Tyler said as he sat up, though he kept a hold of his leg.

"Doctor McCade is in his office…" Heath took a step towards the man only to have the man practically bite his head off.

"I don't need a doctor!" Tyler, who had scooted over some barrels and pulled himself up and then sat down on a crate that sat against the store's outside wall. "My leg's just bruised up is all. It will be alright in a little while."

Heath doubted that, but didn't want to argue with the man…especially since a few of Modesto's residents had stopped and were looking at the scene. Naturally, that did not improve Mr. Miller's attitude. "What are you all looking at? I'm fine!" In return for his snapping, the small group-including Heath and Carlotta walked away. It was only then that Howard Conners stepped into sight. He'd heard the commotion and started towards the alley only to realize Heath and Carlotta, along with others were also there. Only after he'd heard them leave, did he dare step out into the open.

"What on earth are you doing? I thought you going to find a way to get him to enter this alley alone!" Howard, who had endured a tongue lashing from Tyler when he'd heard Howard's story-a lashing that included the fact that the blonde haired cowboy was traveling alone, barked.

"I was!" Tyler barked as quietly as he could; he didn't want to attract anyone's attention.

"What happened?" Howard folded his arms, waiting to hear what excuse his partner was going to give him.

Tyler shook his head even as he ran his hand down his injured leg. "I don't know. I came around the same corner you just did, going over my plan in my head." he wasn't about to admit to actually talking quietly to himself. "Then, before I knew it that," he said as pointed towards the four by four board that Heath had noticed when he and Carlotta first looked into the alley, "It was hitting my leg hard enough to knock me to the ground!"

"You didn't see who was holding the other end?" Howard asked, the disbelief he felt could be heard in his questioning voice.

"No, I didn't! What I can't figure out is where my attacker was and where he went to." Tyler looked around. The buildings on both sides of the alley had windows, but none that were in a position for a man to hid while hitting anyone with any size of board. "Something strange is going on. Ten to one that Barkley fellow has something to do with it!" Tyler barked even as he planned to find out who was working with Heath, and he just knew someone had to be. Nothing else made sense.

"If anyone's helping him, it would have to be that man I saw up in the loft." Howard growled.

"Mr. Tagen won't like hearing Heath Barkley isn't alone, and that he has someone watching his back." Tyler stood up and sucked his breath. His leg might not be broke only it was still hurting something fierce.

"He doesn't need to know!" Howard hissed and nodded towards the back of the alley. "He got called out of town; he won't be back until tomorrow night. Which means we have a few hours to find that man that was in the barn. When we find him, we can take care of him and proceed on with our plans without Mr. Tagen ever learning a thing." He then started back in the direction he'd just came. Tyler followed only to feel a blast of cold wind blow by him. That wasn't so bad only at the same time the wind blew, Tyler got the eerie feeling someone was behind him only, when he whirled around, he saw no one. He hurried to catch up with Howard, though made no comment about what had just happened. Why should he when Howard would only call him crazy.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"It was nice of you to invite me to eat with you. Thanks," Carlotta sat in the small café that had recently opened its doors talking with Heath. He had, after her stomach had let out a growl-which embarrassed her, insisted that she eat lunch with him.

"It was no problem." Heath gave her a crooked smile even as he was thinking on the feeling he'd gotten when he first checked into the boarding house. Afterwards, his mind turned to the incident in the loft and the fact that the man his new friend had called Mr. Tyler had screamed as if he'd been hurt by another human being. Only problem was, Heath had heard nothing but the man screaming out as if he'd been attacked by someone only to find that same man all by himself.

Carlotta, who looked into Heath's eyes and caught the troubled look in her new friend's eyes even though he thought he had his poker face pretty much in place, grew concerned. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Heath hesitated, not knowing how she'd react to the idea now rolling around in his head. Finally, he decided to take a chance. After all, he had purposely stuck around to get answers. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Carlotta thought for a moment and then told him that it depended on what he meant by ghosts. "If by ghosts you mean the spirits of people who have crossed over to the other side, I do. Why do you ask? Because of Mr. Miller acting as if someone hurt him when he was the only one in the alley?" She too had been puzzled by the incident…and for the very same reason it troubled Heath.

"Partly," Heat admitted and then found himself telling her about what had happened in the loft after her cousin had left. He almost added what he'd felt when he arrived at the boarding house, but decided against it. He didn't need to risk someone overhearing him, thus driving away Andrew's business.

"Well, if someone from the other side was there, I hope they make a lot of trouble for those two men. They're no good. And maybe," she started grinning, "They can do a thing or two to the new banker; he's a jerk." The moment she'd spoken the words, she apologized. "I'm sorry, that was out of line and not nice."

Heath chuckled. He knew a few people that got reaction out of him. Then, since he knew he needed to go to the bank sooner or later, he asked, "When did Modesto get a new banker?"

"When the former one died," Carlotta shook her head. "I wish he hadn't done that, die that is. He was willing to work with Benjamin, main reason my cousin owns his ranch. He paid it off just before Mr. Jensen was killed when his horse was spooked and threw him."

It didn't pass by Heath that Carlotta stiffened ever so slightly when she spoke of the man's passing. "You don't think it was an accident?"

Carlotta's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't thought she was that transparent. "Maybe," she shrugged her shoulders. "I just find it odd that Mr. Jensen's horse was spooked within a week after he refused to go in on some business deal his new partner, Michael Tagen, told him about."

Now it was Heath's turn to stiffen as his eyebrows turned down. He hadn't heard that name for a few years, and the memory of their last meeting came back full force. While the man had never said 'you'll pay for this' with his mouth, his eyes had sent the same message loud and clear.

"You know him?" Carlotta wondered out loud.

"We've met." Heath admitted. He started to say something else only to stop when he got the same feeling he'd gotten the night before, a feeling of being watched. He looked around to see if any of the customers were looking at him and Carlotta. None of them acted as if they were.

"What is it?" Carlotta, who looked around upon seeing Heath do the same, asked. Though, if truth be known, she'd have checked the customers out anyway…as she'd gotten the same feeling as Heath, even if the two of them didn't realize the other had felt the same thing.

"Don't know," Heath answered as he changed the subject back the bank. "There was talk about opening a second bank at one time; I don't suppose that ever happened." He needed to cash a small bank draft he'd brought with him, and he didn't want to have to deal with Mr. Tagan unless he absolutely had too.

"Actually, it did happen, but I don't think it will last long. Modesto's really not large enough to support two banks. Well, not in my opinion it isn't." Carlotta told him as she finished her meal. "Want me to take you to it?" She asked as the waitress walked up and, making sure there was nothing else the couple needed, handed Heath the bill before leaving to check on other customers.

"I'd appreciate it. Only, if you don't mind," Heath stood up and, walking behind her in order to help pull out her chair. "I'd like to stop at the boarding house first. I left something in my room. I need to get it before I go anywhere. That is, after I pay the bill." He held up the bill he'd just received.

"Fine," Carlotta followed Heath out of the café once he'd given the cashier the money for the food they'd eaten. Once outside she and Heath had to quickly step backwards as two boys ran past them. Actually, the second one was yelling as he ran. The words coming out of the lad's mouth told Heath and Carlotta the two were brothers.

"Reminds me of my brothers when I was growing up." Carlotta laughed only to stop the moment she saw a look of pain shoot through Heath's eyes. Remembering the many things Benjamin had told her, she didn't have to ask why her words had the effect on Heath that they had. "I'm sorry, my cousin told me what happened. Are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you."

Heath gave her a small smile. "I'll be fine. Don't be sorry either, you said nothing wrong." Then, thinking on the second horse Kyle had to show him and the continuing auction he meant to attend the next day, Heath headed for the boarding house. "Like I said, I need to go to my room before you show me where this second bank is."

Carlotta didn't argue as she walked alongside Heath, enjoying the fact that the two of them seemed to have an easy time talking with each other-even swapping a couple of stories as they did so.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Mr. Barkley!" Ten year old Lisa, Andrew's daughter, was simply beaming as she stepped out of one rooms she'd been helping her mother clean and saw Heath. Out of all her father's customers who came often, Heath was one of her favorites. "Hi, Miss Mason. How are you?"

"I'm fine." Carlotta smiled when Heath excused himself and left her to visit with the more than talkative child. She' have to thank him for that later, though she didn't really mind. She'd always liked Lisa anyway.

Heath, who had intended to simply go to his room, get the check and go to the bank, stopped in front of his door. As his eyebrows turned downwards, he bent over to pick up a small object up. Upon picking the lone item up, Heath found himself sucking in his breath. It was simply a lone piece of rawhide, but that alone was enough to bring back a flood of memories…along with the words Jarrod had spoken to him just before Heath had left to travel to Modesto.

 _"I can make the trip if you want me to." Jarrod, who still felt badly when it came to how Heath had been treated by the family, stood in front of the barn as Heath lead Charger out of the building._

 _Heath, who appreciated the fact that Jarrod was worrying how Heath would be affected by his first trip to Modesto without Nick, simply thanked Jarrod and told him not to worry. "I'll be fine."_

Rolling the rawhide up, Heath slid it into his pocket and opened the door to his room. The moment he stepped into the room, his heart skipped a beat. The room was full of light-as the curtains were wide open, only the chair in the corner could only be partially seen. Not wishing to scare any of the other patrons, Heath shut the door and took a chance. "If you're going to keep following me and-apparently keeping an eye on me-why not show yourself?" The moment the words were out of his mouth, Heath just knew who it was that had been prodding him to hurry to Modesto, who had been in the room when he first arrived, who had been in the barn loft and who had made trouble for Mr. Miller in the alley. Sure enough, Nick appeared in the chair with a grin a mile wide on his face.

"Wondered how long it would take before you called me out," Nick laughed as Heath dropped onto the foot of the bed.

Heath might have wondered why he hadn't felt the truth of the matter when he first arrived only he didn't have too. He hadn't ever had an experience like this before and, when Nick had passed away from the wolf bite, Heath had never thought of this possibility. Then again, remembering back to when the family apologized to him and what he'd heard Nick say, he should have known. He could also pretty well guess what brought Nick to his side now. "You know about Michael Tagan; that is, you know of my past history with the man and his son?"

Nick nodded as he crossed his legs and, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair while bending his arms and clasping his hands together. "Yes, the man's set on taking his revenge."

"Not surprised to hear that," Heath kept his eyes on Nick. "You the one who kept pushing me to get here?"

Nick nodded as he told his blonde hair brother where Mr. Conner and his 'friend' had been. "I told you I'd have your back. Only problem now is, I sort of crossed lines when I dealt with the man's helpers. Can't do that again; I mean, I can give you information and warn you if I learn anything, but I won't be able to cause anyone havoc by physically making contact with them. Well, not without permission I couldn't. If I did…well, let's say I don't wish to be visiting Mr. Teagan's son anytime soon."

Heath wasn't surprised to hear that Mr. Conner and Mr. Miller were working with Michael Teagan. The statement about the man's son came as no surprise either. He could tell Nick was worried about him being alone. "Carlotta Mason is waiting for me down stairs. She's going to show me the other bank. Afterwards, I'm going to go see Benjamin." Heath explained what Jarrod wanted and why. "I'm sure Benjamin will be more than willing to help me where he can."

"Carlotta's a looker," Nick grinned, and then laughed as Heath looked at him to say 'you really feel a need to tell me this, why?'

Thinking back to what Andrew had said, Heath just had to take the opportunity to question Nick about the night before. "Just why did you bother the gentleman who had rented this room prior to my coming here?"

"I didn't bother him, never said a word." Nick denied the charge in a flat tone of voice only to break out in an even wider grin as he added, "All I was doing was sitting in this chair when he came in. He's the one who went crazy on me." Okay so; maybe, the fact the man had lunged at Nick after Nick had refused to talk to him only to find Nick standing near the window had something to do with it, but that was a small technicality in Nick's eyes.

Heath rolled his eyes. There was no need for him to ask for the missing details…as he could imagine how the former customer had felt upon having any sort of experience with someone from the other side. He then looked towards he door. He knew he need to get going or Carlotta would grow concerned. Besides, he was also worried either Conners or Miller would make trouble for her since she was aiding him. At the same time, it felt great to talk to his departed brother again…even if he wasn't going to tell anyone he had. He had no desire to wear any straight jacket. As if he read Heath's mind, Nick nodded towards the door. "Get out of here; she's waiting for you. As I just said, I'll let you know what, if anything I find out." Nick stood up and chuckled. "Who knows, you might even find Jarrod riding into Modesto later."

Heath went to ask his brother why he would say that only to have Nick disappear. Muttering, Heath shook his head. "You seldom got the last word in while you were on the top side of the grass, guess you figure you're owed a few of them. Last words that is," Heath opened his saddle bag which sat on the top of the dresser, retrieved the small bank note and headed out of the room. Moments later, he and Carlotta were walking out of the boarding house and heading towards the new bank.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Victoria stood in the doorway of Jarrod's bedroom watching her oldest son packing his bag. The fact that he'd confessed to her that he was getting extremely strong impressions to go down to Modesto was more than unsettling. She feared that it meant something had already happened to Heath.

Turning his head and seeing his mother looking at him with worry in her eyes, Jarrod inwardly sighed. The past year had been hard on them all, but especially his mother. Sure, the last six months had been a whole lot better than the first half of the year; still…. "Maybe I'm just allowing my own fears to overrule my ordinary clear thinking, I can just stay home." Jarrod offered, not wishing to cause his mother any more grief.

Victoria gave him a small smile and shook her head. "I appreciate your concern. However, I wouldn't keep you here if someone paid me a million dollars. In the past, you've saved this family a lot of heartache by following your instincts." When Jarrod started to point out a few times when he'd caused problems for the family, Victoria stopped him. "Yes, I agree. There's been few heartaches along the way, but the heartaches you've saved far outweigh any negative past problems. If something is telling you to get down to Modesto, then do it. Just," she sighed as she looked upon him with anxiety in her eyes, "Please, wire us the moment you get down there and," she added with as much emphasis as she could muster, "send wires on a regular basis. I don't care what the cost."

Jarrod picked up his suitcase, walked over to his mother and-giving her a kiss on the forehead, promised to do as she wished. "When Audra comes home, just tell her I decided I wanted to look at the horses myself. If she says I'm using it as an excuse to join Heath, agree with her."

Victoria gave him a look of disbelief. "We agreed on no more secrets."

Jarrod didn't want to argue with his mother; still, he hoped to get her to see where he was coming from. "I know that, and I'm not asking you to lie to her. I _am_ going to look at the horses, and I _do_ want to join Heath. It's just why worry her unless we have to? I already promised to keep in constant contact with you. If there is trouble, I'll tell you and then you can tell her. Fair enough?"

She didn't like it; still, she had to admit he had a point. "You're right. If she asks any questions, I'll do as you suggest. Now," she lightly swatted his arm. "Get out of here and down to Modesto. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can send me a wire." Her eyes added the unspoken message 'and don't waste your time sending it!' loud and clear. It made Jarrod chuckle and smiled wide.

"Yes, Mother." Jarrod again chuckle as he hurried out of the room. If he wanted to catch the stagecoach to Modesto, he had no time to waste.

~oOo~

"You've got some very fine horses." Heath stood along Benjamin's wooden corral which looked as if it had not been standing all that long. Though, in truth, the corral had been fixed and repainted more than once since it had first been built. There were seven horses in the large corral.

"He should have." Carlotta, dressed in a new, blue gingham dress walked up beside her cousin and their visitor. "Benjamin's very picky about the horses he breeds and sells."

Heath had to bite his tongue as he saw the added comment 'most of the time' in her eyes. It was a look that did not go unnoticed by Benjamin either, though he simply rolled his eyes. Afterwards, he asked Heath if he'd like to stay for supper. "Maybe even spend the night. I know." He held up his hand in an effort to keep Heath from objecting. "You've already paid for the room at the boarding house. Doesn't mean you can't stay here for one night, I'll reimburse you the money you've already paid Andrew."

Heath didn't want to ask Benjamin or his parent's to make room for him and started to turn down the offer only to feel Nick nearby. As he did that, Heath heard the words _'You need to take him up on the room'_ repeat themselves in his ears. It had to be Nick talking to him.

When Heath didn't answer right away, Benjamin and Carlotta feared that ; maybe, Benjamin had pushed too hard. "I wasn't trying to pressure you, Heath."

"No," Heath, who could still feel Nick nearby, gave his two friends a crooked smile. "If you're sure your parents won't mind," he looked at his friend, "I'll take the room. Though, I'll have to send word to Andrew. I need to let him know and assure him it's nothing to do with his room, and make sure he doesn't rent it out. After all, I'm here for three nights, not two." Besides, after what Andrew had told him, the last thing Heath wanted to do was give the gentleman any reason to grow nervous again.

"My parents will be fine with it. Come on," Benjamin turned and headed for the two story, blue house that stood not a hundred yards from the corral. When it came to Carlotta, she hung back and walked with Heath. It was an action Heath wasn't about to discourage, as he enjoyed Carlotta's company. She was highly intelligent and easy to talk to.

~oOo~

"Where is the man?" Tyler Miller looked at Howard. The two of them had climbed up a tree that stood in the back of the boarding house. Howard had managed to pry the window to Heath's room open, and the two men now stood inside one very much empty room. "Are you sure he didn't check out?" He glared at Tyler, silently accusing him of not doing his job correctly. It infuriated his partner.

"He has this room reserved through tomorrow night! I double checked!" Tyler spat back even as he looked around the room for the hundredth time. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone was warned him we're after him. Maybe that man you saw in the loft,"

Howard rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "And just how did he know what we were up to? That is, if he's even still in town. I haven't see him around since I left the barn. Besides, I thought you didn't believe me when I told you about him."

"We'll just have to wait. Mr. Barkley's got to sleep some time." Tyler sat down in the chair in the corner while Howard sat down on the bed, neither man saying a word as they waited.

A/N The scene with Jarrod and his mother is actually supposed to take place HOURS before the banker's helpers break into Heath's room at the boarding house. I just didn't know how to make that clear…so I'm just adding a note instead.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Jarrod, who had arrived in Modesto at the unexpected hour of five in the morning, stood in the boarding house's living room. There was new wallpaper and furniture in the room. Andrew and his wife must be doing well if they were able to replace those items. Jarrod hadn't expected Heath to be up and gone already. "What do you mean he's not here?" He looked at Andrew as if he was questioning what the gentleman had just told him.

Andrew, who could see the concern in Jarrod's eyes, hurried to assure him everything was fine. He then told him the message Heath had sent. "I can take you up to his room if you want. It's paid through tonight anyway. I'm sure your brother will stop in before heading to the auction; it doesn't start until one today."

"I could use some rest, just make sure you let Heath know I'm in the room." Jarrod smiled as he followed Andrew up the stairs. The two men visited as they climbed the stairs, and continued doing so as they headed for the room Heath had rented. However, as they drew closer to the bedroom door both of them grew alarmed; it sounded as if someone was in the room.

"I thought you said he wasn't here." Jarrod turned his face towards Andrews.

"There isn't supposed to be **,** " Andrew watched as Jarrod pulled out his pistol and moved cautiously to the door. Then, keeping his pistol pointing forward, he kicked in the door. No one was in the room, but the window was wide open… and a piece of cloth was stuck to a nail that was sticking out of the window pane. He and Andrew hurried over to the window. They could see the backs of two men running away from the hotel.

"Do you know them?" Jarrod asked as he kept his eyes on the men, hoping that, when they went around the corner, he'd catch of glimpse of their faces.

"One of them; maybe," Andrew too was watching as the men disappeared out of sight-unfortunately he and Jarrod never saw the men's faces before they were out of sight. "Not a hundred percent sure though." He went on to tell him all about Tyler Miller. "He's no good. I wish I'd gotten a good look at the man. Sheriff isn't going to listen to me unless I can swear it was Miller." He then went on to say the man was known to hang around a couple of men. "If it was Miller, then ten to one it was Howard Conner with him. Never met the man myself, but I've heard plenty."

"Well, if you don't mind." Jarrod shut the window. "Let's secure this window. Then, as much as I'd l like to climb into that bed and sleep," he turned towards the open door. "I think I best hightail it out to Benjamin's and have a talk with Heath before he goes to that auction."

Andrew might have argued, saying Heath was in good hands. Only, he knew better. Besides, if his brother had his room broken into, Andrew knew he sure wouldn't be sleeping. "All right." He followed Jarrod out of the room. Moments later, Jarrod was heading to the livery stable while Andrew was securing the bedroom window.

~oOo~

"Someone has got to be warning him!" Tyler Miller, who had practically flown out the window when he'd heard the sound of Jarrod's and Andrew's voices in the hallway, leaned against the back of the saloon. "We've got to get him! Mr. Tagen will be back late this afternoon! He'll be madder than my grandmother the day she found me getting into my grandfather's whiskey!"

Howard Conners didn't feel like debating on just how their boss would feel if they didn't have their quarry tied up in the man's house by the time Mr. Tagen rolled into town. He just wanted to get the job over with. "Let's get to the auction. He's got to show up sooner or later.

~oOo~

While Miller and Conners made their way to the auction yard, Jarrod hurried to reach the Masons' home. The truth was, he knew Tyler Miller and Howard Conners. That is, he'd read files on both men while visiting another attorney in Sacramento.

" _They're bad; we all know it, but we can't get anything solid on them." Richard Jenkins, Jarrod's friend, stood in the foyer of one of the finest law offices in Sacramento. The marble floor, huge round pillars with the fanciest designs carved into them, along with various paintings by famous artists and the best furniture money could be attested to the wealth of the owners. "I just wish we could find out who's running the show behind the scenes."_

" _I tell you it's Tagen," a bald headed gentleman who appeared to be in his late sixties walked up. "_ _Conners_ _and_ _Miller_ _have been seen in his company more than once. He's worse than they are, just_ _ask_ _Frank Sawyers."_

Jarrod had simply listened to Richard and the bald headed gentleman, whose name he never had received. Now, he couldn't help but push the horses pulling the surrey he'd rented from Modesto's livery stable. After the feelings he'd gotten while on the ranch, along with the feeling that had washed over him when the names of Miller and Conners had been mentioned, Jarrod had a need to see Heath very much alive, and unhurt, with his own eyes. By the time he rode up to the Mason home, Benjamin, Heath and Carlotta were just exiting the house. Pure surprised showed up on all their faces as Jarrod pulled the surrey to a stop.

"What are you doing here, Jarrod? What's happened?" Heath stepped away from Benjamin and Carlotta, his concern showing bright and clear.

"I came to go to auction with you only, when I arrived, you had some visitors in your room." Jarrod wasn't surprised when Benjamin and Carlotta's eyes both widened, and she let out a gasp. However, Heath simply frowned and asked who they were.

Jarrod shook his head. "We're not sure." He explained how the two men were out of the room and heading down the alley before he kicked the door in. He told them who Andrew thought one of the men was. Again, after the comments the owner of the boarding house had made, Jarrod wasn't surprised to receive the same reaction from Heath's friends.

"They've got to be working for Tagen." Heath looked at Benjamin and Carlotta.

Now it was Jarrod's turn to stare. He hadn't expected to hear that name come out of Heath's mouth. "You know Michael Tagen?"

Heath hid the shock he felt when Jarrod asked the question. "We've met." He said as he excused himself, saying he had to go get his horse.

"He said that when I asked him the same question." Carlotta looked at Jarrod. "You need to get him to tell you more." She knew Jarrod would assume she hadn't gotten Heath to say anything more. Truth was, she actually had…she'd just given Heath her word not to repeat what he'd told her. Now, with his oldest brother here, she hoped Jarrod would be able to get Heath to repeat the story to him.

"I'll do my best." Jarrod said as he saw Heath leading Charger out of the Mason's barn. "I will surely do my best." He repeated as he turned the surrey around.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"I can't drop it, Heath." Jarrod said as they stood in the livery stable; they'd just returned the surrey Jarrod had rented and paid to have William Styles take care of Charger. "Those men are trouble." He went on to explain just how he knew the names of Conners, Miller and Tagen. "Now, I ask you again, how do you know Michael Tagen?" Jarrod's concern showed as he looked upon Heath.

Heath wasn't surprised to hear all that Jarrod told him. It sounded like Michael Tagen was still keeping the same kind of company. Heath finally gave in and answered Jarrod's question. "I killed his son." Heath sighed and then told Jarrod exactly what had happened. "There was no reason for either of the Tagens to draw on any us, why his son chose to is beyond me." He went on to admit that, at the time of the shooting, Michael Tagen had sent him an unspoken threat. It sent shivers down Jarrod's back.

"Maybe it's a good thing I followed the impressions I was getting back on the ranch." Jarrod started to turn around only to freeze when Heath muttered something about Nick. "What did you just say?" He looked at Heath puzzled.

Heath didn't really want to tell Jarrod everything while there was any chance someone might hear them. And, since William and some of his help were still in the livery stable, it could happen. "We can talk as we head to the auction."

Jarrod raised his right eyebrow, wondering just what Heath did not want the men in the stable to hear. Still, knowing it would do no good to demand otherwise of Heath, he turned back towards the open door and walked outside. Soon he and Heath were walking towards the end of town, where the auction was being held.

"Now," Jarrod glanced at Heath while they walked down the boardwalk, turning sideways at times- due to other people coming and going, "What else is going on?" There had to be something for Heath to refuse to answer him with people who might actually stop what they were doing to listen to their conversation.

Heath felt like a broke phonograph as he repeated what had happened in the barn and in the alley. By the time he was through, Jarrod's face was a tad pale. "It had to be them in your room. If that's the case," Jarrod said as he and Heath swerved to their right, in order to avoid hitting into a couple of boxes that sat in front of a business that was getting ready to open, "my guess is Michael Tagen is trying to make good on his unspoken threat." Jarrod paused as he glanced at Heath. "Have they tried anything else?"

Heath hesitated, thinking on how Nick had pushed him to keep riding for Modesto. His hesitancy was all Jarrod needed to push him for answers. "What else has happened?"

"Your logical mind won't believe me." Heath stopped just as they reached the area of the auction.

"Maybe not, only I'll listen." Jarrod pushed his suit coat back with his arms and rested his hands on his hips.

Heath looked around. People were starting to come and go as much as they had the day before. The last thing Heath wanted was for anyone to hear what he had to tell Jarrod. He looked towards the stable Benjamin was renting and thought about going there only to have the words _'Don't go in there. Ask Roy Ambers to use his office'_ repeat themselves in his ear, had to be his late brother speaking to him. Since Mister Ambers was a friendly, outgoing gentleman-and an old friend of Nick's, Heath gestured towards the office that sat roughly fifty yards away. "Let's see if we can talk in there."

That reply raised Jarrod's curiosity even more, though he didn't press Heath to give him an answer right then and there. If Heath wanted to talk in private, Jarrod was going to trust there was a good reason for the request. "Fine," Jarrod turned towards the office, as did Heath. Moments later, Mr. Ambers was happily doing as Jarrod had asked-leaving and giving him and Heath some space.

"Now, out with it, what else has been going on?" Jarrod leaned against the tall, gray, filing cabinet in the southwest corner of the room while Heath stood in front of the office window, looking out.

Heath took a deep breath and began telling Jarrod everything from the beginning. By the time Heath turned away from the window, Jarrod was sitting in a brown chair that near the gray filing cabinet. There was a more than shocked look in his eyes, alone with a large amount of concern for his blonde haired brother.

"I'm not seeing or hearing things, Jarrod, not in the way I'm sure you're thinking. Nick _has_ talked to me, and he _has_ been watching out for me. Only," he chuckled, "he got in a bit of trouble handling things his way-when it came to those two men that is."

Jarrod, who had often wondered just where his hot tempered brother was once he crossed over, didn't know what to think only he couldn't help but bust out laughing. If what Heath said was true, it didn't sound like crossing over to the other side had made that much difference. "Sounds like Nick is still Nick, no matter what side he's on."

"I'd say so," Heath smiled back and then grew serious. "We need to get those two men working for Tagen. I mean, we need to catch them and make them talk. From what you told me earlier, he is more warped than I even had him being. He belongs behind bars. If we can just get Mr. Conners and Mr. Miller to talk…" his left his sentence unfinished as he felt Nick in the room.

"Heath?" Jarrod grew concerned at his blonde haired brother's silence.

 _"Tell him to allow me to show myself";_ the words sounded in Heath's ears. "It's Nick, he's here. He wants to show himself to you, but you have to let him." Heath spoke after a moment, wondering if his brother's lawyer's mind would allow such a thing.

Jarrod stiffened as he looked around the room. He saw nothing. The logical side of him said it was impossible, and that Nick's appearance to him awhile back was a onetime incident. However, a huge portion of him wanted to see Nick again, to talk to him. He wanted to believe. As he thought on that-his desire to believe- came the thought 'Heath doesn't lie'. Afterwards, his heart skipped a beat as he actually felt Nick nearby.

Heath, who could tell what was going on, urged Jarrod to relax and let go of any reservations he might have.

Jarrod did his best to relax as he let out a sigh. "I _want to_ see him." The moment he said the words, with all the sincerity he had in him, Jarrod was amazed to see Nick appear in the corner of the room, and understanding look in his eyes.

"Nick?" Jarrod's eyes widened, even as his mind tried to wrap itself around the idea that he was really seeing his hot tempered brother. However, he was alarmed when Nick began to fade.

"Don't shut me out, Jarrod. Don't let your 'reasonable' side, lock me out. Please," Nick, who wanted to be of help to both his brothers begged.

While it was the hugest struggle he'd ever experienced, Jarrod was able to get himself to relax even more-mostly due to the pleading he heard in Nick's voice. He was relieved to see his hot tempered brother stop fading in and out. "Nick!" Jarrod rose to his feet, his eyes still wide with wonder and amazement.

"Naw, *It's Pecos Bill in disguise." Nick smiled as Jarrod threw him a 'ha-ha' look. He then grew more serious. "Might as well sit down, we need to talk." Nick waited until Jarrod sat back down before he continued. "Mr. Tagen's arrival back in town has been delayed. He won't be in for a couple more hours, seems like one of the stagecoach's wheels came loose and fell off."

"It seems?" Heath spoke the words, even as he and Jarrod looked at each other and then back at Nick. Somehow they just knew Nick had something to do with the 'accident'.

"No one ever said I couldn't have a bit of fun with non-living objects." Nick folded his arms and defended his actions. "It's not like the coach was on a hill or anything. No one got hurt. Well, not really." Nick chuckled as he could still see Mr. Tagen flying out of the coach only to land on a small cactus. He then grew serious again. "Besides, the two of you needed more time to deal with those two men. Truth is, if you can get them to talk, Tagen will fall. Well, if nothing else, it would be the start of the man's fall."

"We don't have much time. We don't even know where they're at." Jarrod, who was once again in control of his feelings, spoke up.

"Heath knows," Nick looked at him as he started to disappear. "He just needs to think about. I'll be around to help if I can."

Both Jarrod and Heath went to say something only to have Nick disappear. "I swear our dear brother is taking advantage of being able to disappear like that." Heath shook his head, even as Jarrod asked him if he knew what Nick had meant when he said Heath already knew where the men were.

 _ ***A/N Children's Story: 'Pecos Bill' - VOA Learning English**_

 _-_ ** _Pecos Bill_** _was a larger than life hero of the American West. No one knows who first told stories about_ ** _Pecos Bill_** _. Cowboys may have_ ** _invented_** _the stories. Others say Edward O'Reilly_ ** _invented_** _the character in stories he wrote for The Century Magazine in the early nineteen hundreds._ } I don't know which is right only, for the sake of this story, I'm going with the ideas that cowboys invented the stories about Pecos Bill.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

 _Excerpt from Ch 9_

 _"We don't have much time. We don't even know where they're at." Jarrod spoke up._

 _"Heath knows," Nick looked at him as he started to disappear. "He just needs to think about. I'll be around to help if I can."_

Benjamin, who had just driven up to the auction area in his surrey with his cousin, Carlotta, was delighted to see Jarrod and Heath. "Hello, you two. Good to see you," He climbed down from the surrey and then helped his cousin down, who quickly moved next to Heath…a move that had both Jarrod and Benjamin chuckling.

"Same here," Jarrod smiled, and then apologized. "We don't have time to really talk though." He went on to explain how he and Heath needed to find the men working with Mr. Tagen.

Heath, who had been rolling Nick's claim around in his head-the claim that Heath knew where Tagen's men were, stiffened as it came to him full force. "Yes, we do." He surprised his brother and their friends. "In fact, we need to talk." He wasn't surprised when his brother, Carlotta and her cousin looked at him in surprise.

"And just where do you think they are?" Jarrod asked, his eyes showing that he was more than willing to listen.

Heath nodded towards the building Benjamin had rented and then admitted to what had happened just before he and Jarrod had headed for the office. Then, even though he knew Benjamin and Carlotta had not been told of Nick's visits, he added-looking at Jarrod, "Nick must have been steering me away from them."

Neither Jarrod nor Heath were surprised to see Benjamin's and Carlotta's eyes fill with concern for Heath. Jarrod was quick to assure their friends that Heath wasn't losing any part of his mind. "Don't ask us to explain it, but Nick IS here. Only question now is, how do we get into that barn without them seeing us? I'm sure they're waiting for us. Well, waiting for Heath at least."

No one talked for a few minutes. Finally Benjamin, who still didn't know what to think when it came what his two friends were claiming about Nick, spoke, "If there was a way to get those two men to leave the barn, we could corner them. Well, that or at least follow them until we can get them by themselves. Though," he turned his face his cousin. "I'd feel better if you left. I mean, if you want to go back to your house or something."

Carlotta started to object to have her Heath back Benjamin. "We don't need to put you in the line of fire, as it were." He rested his hand on her shoulder as he spoke in a very firm tone, though his eyes were gentle and begged her to understand.

"Fine, but the three of you best be careful! Those men won't think twice about shooting any of you." Carlotta finally answered her cousin. The fact that she feared for Heath the most was obvious… as she'd kept her eyes on the blonde haired cowboy the whole time she'd been talking. Again, it gave Jarrod and Benjamin a chuckle, though they kept their laughter to themselves.

"We'll be careful." Heath promised her even as he stepped aside, allowing her to pass by him as she walked away. As he did so, he couldn't hold any laughter in when she muttered that, if Nick was around like he and Jarrod said he was, why didn't they just have him do something. It was a statement that also had Jarrod and Benjamin chuckling.

While Carlotta walked away from the auction, Heath, Jarrod and Benjamin headed for the barn, trying to figure a way to get into the building without being seen…or a way to get the two men to leave the barn. Though, even as the three talked, Carlotta's words had been heard…and taken very seriously.

~oOo~

"You idiot!" Howard, who had just climbed the ladder that led to the loft of the building Benjamin had rented and stepped onto the loft floor, whirled around and glared at Tyler, who had just bumped into him. The man had practically knocked Howard off his feet. The two had tired of hiding below and decided that the loft would give them a better view of anyone who might enter the building. "Watch where you're going!"

Miller, who wasn't about to accept responsibility for his mistake, growled. "Don't blame me! You shouldn't stop so abruptly!" He folded his arms and glared at his partner. "I just hope we're not wasting our time! We should just go after Heath Barkley!"

"You're being stupid again." Howard hissed. "I told you. I found out his lawyer brother is in town. If we go after him in the open, his brother will be there to back him up. However, with his dealings with Benjamin Mason, the gentleman will have to come in here soon or later." He was glad when Miller didn't insist on being told just how he knew that. Truth was, he didn't, but he was grasping at straws…desperate to get Heath before Mr. Tagen showed back up in town.

The two men might have continued talking only they heard the sound of spurs hitting the side of the far left loft wall. Both men whirled around to the side expecting to see someone else in the loft with them. However, they saw nothing. "Okay, whoever is making that sound, best show yourself!" Miller and Conners both pulled their pistols out. The only answer they received was the sound of spurs hitting the loft floor…from behind them. Again, the two men whirled around. Their eyes widened as the outline of a man wearing a cowboy hat appeared before them, but they could see no one. Tyler Miller felt his skin begin to tingle as he had the sensation that whoever, or whatever, he and Conners were looking at was ready to close in on him. Pure fear ran through Miller as he flew towards the ladder. "This place is haunted! I'm leaving!"

Conners would have told him to 'act like a man', or something along those lines, only the shadow turned towards him. Conners' face paled as he felt the same sensation Miller had just experienced-except he had the additional feeling what the apparition really wanted to do was to beat him to a pulp. In no time at all, the man was practically sliding down the ladder and joining Miller in fleeing the barn. As they did so, both men could have sworn they heard laughter coming from the loft.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Previously: _Conners would have told him to 'act like a man', or something along those lines, only the shadow turned towards him. Conners' face paled as he felt the same sensation Miller had just experienced-except he had the additional feeling the apparition was also ready to beat him to a pulp. In no time at all, the man was practically sliding down the ladder and joining Miller in fleeing the barn. As they did so, both men could have sworn they heard laughter coming from the loft._

 _~oOo~_

Heath, Jarrod and Benjamin, who had been doing their best to follow Conners and Miller, stood at the edge of town watching as Miller and Conner let themselves into a home through the back door. While the house meant nothing to Heath and Jarrod, Benjamin wasting no time in educating his two friends. "That house belongs to Mr. Tagen, have to be meeting him."

"Can't be doing that," Heath surprised Benjamin, "the man's not in town." He almost told Benjamin about Nick playing around with the wheels of the stagecoach, but decided against it. There would be time later for telling such stories. "Never seen men run as fast as they did, could have caught up with them otherwise." The whole time he was speaking, he was also grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, I'd say they just had some wonderful exercise." Jarrod, like Heath was smiling wide. No one had to tell them why the two men had bolted from the barn so fast.

Benjamin caught onto what the two brothers were silently acknowledging. While a portion of him still didn't know what to think, the other portion wanted to laugh as well. How he wished he'd been a fly on the barn wall when his departed friend had scared the daylights out of Tagen's men. "Well, at least we know they're definitely working for 'that' banker." "Though, without drawing more attention than we got by trying to keep up with them, we can't corner them now. What are we going to do?"

While Heath, Jarrod and Benjamin tried to come up with a plan, Conners and Miller were having their own, very heated, discussion in the middle of Mr. Tagen's oversized kitchen. One cupboard after another lined the upper portion the north wall, while the west and east walls had cupboards that started the center of the walls and ran until they connected with the cupboards on the north wall. There was a huge sink on the west wall and an oversized cook stove that sat a few feet from the sink. Counter tops ran underneath the cupboards on the east and north walls. There was a huge table in the center of the room and a braided rug lay near the south wall. The kitchen itself was huge, ten feet wide and eighteen feet long to be exact. Why the banker needed such a large kitchen was beyond the two men.

"We've got to do something!" Miller, who stood inside Mr. Tagen's kitchen, said as he opened one of the kitchen's brown cupboard doors. He was hungry, and he figured their boss could afford to part with some of his food. "I don't know what's keeping Mr. Tagen, but he's going to show up sooner or later. He'll be coming after us if we don't get Mr. Barkley!"

"Don't tell me something I already know!" Conners, who had the same idea when it came to food, was standing next to kitchen table-which was just as oversized as the kitchen-fixing himself a sandwich. "But, what are we going to do without involving that brother of his or Mr. Mason?" He pulled out a chair, sat down and began to eat the food he'd fixed for himself.

"I don't know, but we have to think of something if we want to save our hides!" Miller snapped before he started eating what he had fixed.

~oOo~

The wind began blowing, kicked up dust as it did so, while the driver of the coach-a middle age gentleman with salt and pepper colored hair by the name of Samuel Jensen-tried to get the wheel fixed. His mood, which was sour enough, was not helped by the ornery banker he was having to listen to. If it wasn't for the presence of the other passengers-two women, a small boy and a good natured young man by the name of Jack Gilman, Mr. Jensen would have laid into Mr. Tagen for his bad attitude…especially since the extremely pompous man wasn't lifting a finger to help him or the young lad who was doing what he could to be of some use. As it was, Mr. Jensen and the young boy simply exchanged looks that told each of them that the feeling of 'Why doesn't that man simply shut up?' was shared by both of them.

Mr. Tagen, on the other hand, didn't care what anyone thought of him. All he wanted was to get to Modesto, to see for himself that Howard Conners and Tyler Miller had done as they had been ordered. He wanted to make Heath Barkley suffer before he was put six feet underground. "How long is this going to take?" He barked for the hundredth time. "I don't have time to sit around and wait!"

"Mister," Mr. Jensen, tiring of the pompous windbag behind him, whipped around and barked back. "You can do one of three things! One, remain silent until this nice young man and I are done. Two, shut up and actually help us; or, three, start walking!" Mr. Jensen turned back to the matter at hand, halfway wishing the man behind him would start walking. Though, he wasn't surprised when the banker simply stormed away in a huff, and then sat down on a nearby boulder.

"Maybe, we should find something else to 'fix' on the coach." Jack muttered without thinking, and then quickly apologized.

"Don't tempt me." Mr. Samuel winked as he grinned at the young man. That reply had both men fighting to keep their laughter to a controlled chuckle, neither one wished to deal with Mr. Tegan should he hear their laughter and connect it to him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Carlotta, who had volunteered to help the owners of the café-had just finished clearing one of the tables in the far left hand corner of the dining area when Heath and Jarrod walked in. The fact that she was relieved to see them shown in the way her eyes were sparkling. Though, Jarrod was sure her eyes sparkled just a tad bit more when she was looking at Heath. By the time they'd sat down in the far right hand corner, she was walking towards them.

"How are you today?" Her eyes silently asked _'Did you get Tagen's men?_ ' and _'Did they talk?'_ as she handed the two brothers a couple of menus. She was disappointed when Heath shook his head ever so slightly.

"We're fine." Jarrod only replied to her spoken question as to avoid drawing any undue attention from the other patrons. "Thank you."

As the Barkleys opened their menus, Carlotta excused herself, saying she'd be back in a few minutes.

"You like her?" Jarrod's eyes were smiling wide even as he chuckled. He might not have only Heath had shot him a look that screamed the question 'Do you really have to ask?"

"Yeah," Heath folded his menu and set it down on the table, keeping his eyes on the window they sat near. His choice to keep his eyes wide open didn't pass Jarrod.

Inwardly, Jarrod sighed. If only they'd caught up with those men before they'd entered Tagen's home. He wanted Michael Tagen stopped before he succeeded in killing Heath. He was brought out of his thoughts when Carlotta walked up to take their orders.

"Just because auction lasts until tomorrow night doesn't mean you have to stay. Maybe, you can just finish your business today and leave." Carlotta glanced at Jarrod and Heath as she began writing on her tablet. Even as she said the words, her own fear showed loud and clear.

Heath wasn't going to tell her he wasn't tempted to do just that, especially since Benjamin had showed him and Jarrod a horse before they'd headed to the café…and it was perfect for Victoria. However, he didn't want a man like Michael Tagen sending men to the Barkley ranch. That would put his stepmother and half-sister in danger. He couldn't live with himself if something happen to any of his family because of a man from his past.

"We'll be fine." Heath gave her a lopsided grin as he did his best to assure her she shouldn't be worrying.

When Carlotta left to get their food, Jarrod spoke up. "It might not be a bad idea. I mean, picking up the horse Benjamin showed us and leaving. We can always get the rest of the horses we need elsewhere." He saw no reason to state the fact that he and Heath would have McCall and the others to help them should trouble appear on the ranch.

Heath appreciated the fact that Jarrod didn't want Tagen to do succeed in whatever his exact plans were. However, he wasn't going to simply run away. "I've got to deal with Tagen here, in Modesto. You know that as well as I do."

Jarrod, who wasn't surprised in the least to hear his blonde haired brother refused to run, smiled and leaned slightly forward. " _We'll_ deal with him. And," he raised his hand a few inches off the table when Heath began objecting, "It is not a debatable subject. If you think for a moment that I'm going to ride home-alone-and tell Mother I left you here to fight this battle on your own…" He pointed his finger at Heath when the blonde haired cowboy began saying he wouldn't be alone. "As far as she's concerned, you'd be on your own. I'm not going back to Stockton and tell her, basically, don't worry about Heath…he's not only got Benjamin backing him up, but Nick is helping from the other side. She'd be down in here a heartbeat…after dragging me to see Dr. Merar."

Heath couldn't stop one of his rare, huge, smiles to appear as he started laughing. The picture he got in his mind when he imagined Victoria Barkley literally dragging his older brother to be checked out by anyone in the medical field was just too funny. "Might be worth sending you back to Stockton," Heath said as he managed to get control of his laughter, an action that was helped by the fact that more than one café patron was looking his direction.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Jarrod chuckled, as he too got an interesting picture in his mind. "We're better off staying here and dealing with Tagen and his men." That statement brought another round of laughter from his blonde haired brother, though this time Heath made sure he kept the volume of the laughter down enough as not to disturb the other customers.

~oOo~

"I don't know." Miller, who was inside another livery stable- a 'safe' one', leaned against one of the stalls. "I guess it might work." Miller kicked the side of the stall with his heel.

Conners, who was sitting on a bale of hay a few feet away, was tired and getting ornerier by the minute. He had no more time to deal with Miller's stupidity. "There's no 'might' about it! I told you, I found out the stagecoach had trouble. If we go the route I've suggested, Heath Barkley will go straight to Tagen's house himself..before Mr. Tagen ever steps foot in Modesto."

Conners went to answer only to get the uneasy feeling they were being watched. He stood up and looked around. Naturally, his reaction got Miller's attention, and Miller started looking around as well. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Conners answered after walking around the inside of the livery stable. "I must have been hearing things."

"Someone else might be helping Heath Barkley besides that lawyer brother of his." Miller didn't like the idea only he wasn't convinced whatever Conners had heard was nothing.

"No, I've had that checked out as well. The only other brother Heath Barkley has is living back east. Now, come on. Let's do what we need to in order to get Heath Barkley where Mr. Tagen wants him!" Conners snapped and headed for the door, Miller followed. As they exited the building, neither one of them saw the shadow that slipped through the far side of the wall and disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Heath and Jarrod were standing on the porch of the boarding house discussing the fact that they were supposed to be heading home the next day, along with the fact that they both felt strongly that Conners and Miller would have to make a move soon, along with the fact that Mr. Tagen could show up any minute.

"I'm sure they were supposed to have you by now." Jarrod, who was still very worried for his naturally quiet brother, looked around even as he spoke. "In fact, I'm shocked Mr. Tagen hasn't returned yet."

"Stagecoach had more wheel trouble, and he's too lazy to help." A loud voice behind them made both brothers jump, and they whirled around.

"Nick!" Jarrod looked at his departed brother in exasperation. "You could at least give us a warning you're here. And, what do you mean, the coach has had more problems?" Even as he asked the question, a look appeared in Jarrod eyes, one the asked the question 'aren't you going to get into trouble with someone?'

When it came to surprising his brothers, Nick only chuckled. However, when he began talking, he was dead serious. "Playing around with those wheels was the only thing I could do to buy the two of you more time, and you need it." Nick went on to tell Jarrod and Heath everything he'd heard Conners and Miller discuss, including the fact that they planned on sending Heath a note telling him that if he didn't go to Mr. Tagen's house, by himself, that harm would not only come to Jarrod, but to Carlotta as well. "You can't go there alone, Heath. I don't know if I've delayed Michael Tagen long enough or not, doesn't really matter. Those two men are eager to make points with their boss. I wouldn't put it past them to murder you and then come up with a false story to give Tagen."

Heath didn't want Carlotta in the middle of the trouble, and he sure the blazes didn't want Jarrod hurt simply because he'd come to Modesto to join him. However, before he could say anything, Jarrod was talking. "Don't even think about it, Heath! This time you will not deal with anything by yourself!" When a flash of guilt flashed through Nick's eyes, Jarrod was quick to set him straight as well. "What happened in the past is in the past, Nick. We forgave you, now forgive yourself as well." He then turned the matter back to Conners and Miller. "I think we need to talk to Benjamin. I know for a fact that he's over at the store. I'll go get him only, Heath," Jarrod looked his brother in the eye, "I am only going to get him and come right back here. We can all discuss this then. Promise me if, by chance, you happen to get any note from Conners and Miller before I get back, you will wait for me. After all, the store isn't that far away."

Heath didn't like it, but he also knew Jarrod wouldn't leave until he was sure Heath would do as he asked. "Fine, but hurry. If I do get such a note, I'm not going to stand around for very long."

"Deal," Jarrod turned and practically flew down the steps and down the street.

After Jarrod had disappeared down the road, Heath looked at Nick. He could tell there was something else on Nick's mind. "Out with it, and don't tell me there's nothing wrong."

Nick growled, "I just hate not being able to do more. It things comes down to it, I want to be able to fight alongside Jarrod and you. As it is," Nick growled as he leaned against the boarding house's front wall. "I'm not allowed 'to touch any living thing'." The frustration Nick felt could be heard in his voice.

Heath couldn't help but grin. "Nick you're doing more for us now than you realize. I mean, with your eyes, your ability to hear and see things we can't, we might just be able to bring an end to Tagen's plans without too much trouble."

Nick sighed. "I hope so, still…maybe…" he got a look of someone deep in thought. Heath didn't like the look that came into Nick's eyes and went to ask him just what on earth he was planning when rock flew through the air and landed near Heath's feet. Heath, who had jumped backwards just a little, bent over and picked it up.

"From Conners, isn't it?" Nick was standing next to Heath in no time flat.

 _"If you don't want your lawyer brother or Carlotta hurt…."_ Heath began reading. By the time he was through, he was more than relieved to see Jarrod and Benjamin hurrying his way. "It looks…" Heath turned his head to talk to Nick only to find his hot tempered brother gone. He might have started thinking of all the possible reasons Nick would just disappear like that only Jarrod and Benjamin were almost to the boarding house.

~ooo~

The wind had begun to howl when Nick appeared near some trees that stood behind Michael Tagen's home. He had watched as Conners and Miller ran as fast as they could down the street and up the steps that led to the side door of the home. It hadn't been long until Nick saw the two men through a window whose curtains were wide open. The fact that they were in one of the bedrooms was a given by the sight of a tall, brown, dresser that set in the room. When he saw Heath approaching the house-which startled him as it hadn't been all that long since he'd left his blonde haired brother, Nick started moving forward only to find a hand on his arm. He turned his head, not surprised to see a red headed, round faced gentleman who stood five feet seven inches and went by the name of Gideon standing next to him…or was Nick supposed to say 'angel'?

Gideon, who had been given the job of helping Nick adjust to life on the other side, gave the hot tempered rancher a look of exasperation. "I don't know exactly what you had in mind only there's no use going in there. I told you; you can only do so much from this side. There are many things out of our hands, whether we like it or not."

"Those men and Tagen plan on killing Heath; maybe even Jarrod too once he shows up. Plus, I'm sure neither of my brothers would appreciate it if I didn't include Benjamin Mason on that list as well. What do you want me to do? Just sit here and wait to see if we're getting some newcomers or not?" When Gideon fidgeted slightly, Nick exploded and, in spite of what he'd told Heath, Nick threw the rulebook out the window-as it were. "You can stand around and wait if you want, I'm not going to…no matter what you threaten me with!" He disappeared before Gideon could say another word.

Gideon covered his eyes and groaned. "How come I get the funniest feeling Nick Barkley is going to get away with bending the rules, and how come I think I'm going to be stuck working with him for a while?" The moment he muttered the words, Gideon was sure he heard other spirits laughing...which only had him uttering a few other words.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Due to the fact that he'd bumped into the sheriff and learned that the stagecoach wasn't expected to roll into town for another forty-five minutes, Heath hoped that Jarrod and Benjamin would be able to turn the tables on the two men waiting for him at Tagen's house before the banker showed back up in town. After all, Heath was pretty sure Millers and Conners would secure him to something, anything, to prevent him from moving. As he'd passed Modesto's saloon, Heath's mind had turned back through time.

 _"What are you in such a hurry for?" Nick sat at one of the tables playing cards with the livery stable owner and Mr. Andrews; both men were taking a break from their regular work and enjoying a friendly games of cards with the Stockton rancher. "I'm working on getting the money back we paid our friends this morning."_

Heath hadn't been able to stop a chuckle as he'd continued on his way. Getting their money back; well, it had worked—but only when it came to Mr. Andrews. He and Nick had wound up with a free night at the boarding house. However, when it came to Mr. Williams, the livery stable owner had gotten double the money for taking care of their horses. Which, of course, meant they hadn't really gotten any of their money back. Heath's mind had then turned the pages of his memory even further back, and he'd seen himself talking to Frank Sawyer while Tagen drove a wagon out of town, one that carried his dead son in the back of it.

 _"I don't like this. You'll always be in danger as long as that man lives. I wish I could ride after him and arrest him for something, anything, and throw him behind bars for life." Frank turned sideways and looked at Heath. "You sure you won't agree to work with me on a permanent basis?"_

 _Heath knew Frank was really saying 'stick around so I can have your back'. He'd appreciated it and almost accepted. Working with Frank Sawyer was steady work and made it so he could send money to his mother, Aunt Rachel and Hannah on a regular basis. Still…there was something calling him, and he had to listen. He had to move on, though he was a loss as to explain why. "Thanks, but no, this law thing isn't for me. That is, not on a regular basis it's not." He then urged Frank not to worry about Michael Tagen. "He may or may not prove to a problem in the future, but why worry about it now? It's only borrowing stress neither one of us needs."_

 _Heath gave Frank a crooked smile and agreed._

However, when Michael Tagen's home had come into view, Heath had been brought out of the past and to the matter at hand. He was a hundred percent sure both of Tagen's men were in the house waiting for him. As he'd drawn closer to the home which actually held a bit of a haunted look to it, Heath prayed Jarrod and Benjamin wouldn't be too far behind. While Heath was now dealing with the present, Jarrod and Benjamin-who were following at what they hoped was enough distance as to prevent Conners and Miller from seeing them...should the men be watching from any window in Tagen's home, were having their own discussion.

"Like I told Heath, that house only has two entrances." Benjamin talked even as he kept his eyes wide open. While he and Jarrod had not talked to the sheriff, they had overheard a couple of men talking. The overheard conversation-or the part they'd heard-was just enough to make it so they had the same information that had been given to Heath. "The front door and the back one. The back one leads into the laundry room. I can't see them holding Heath there once he's inside. I think they're more apt to take him into the living room; everyone around here knows Mr. Tagen has a fascination for that particular room. Though, don't ask me why." He turned his head slightly, making it so he could look at Jarrod. "I think it would be safer for us to go in the back door."

Since Benjamin lived in Modesto, Jarrod took his word when it came to Mr. Tagen and his home. He just hoped the gentleman was correct.. Having already buried one brother, he didn't want to bury Heath as well. "Fine, the back it is." The fact that Jarrod kept his face forward as he answered did not pass by Benjamin, though it didn't really matter to him. If he was in Jarrod's boots, he'd be doing the same thing.

While Jarrod and Benjamin were quietly having their discussion as they followed the path Heath and they had agreed upon, Heath was making his way up the steps that led to the front door of Michael Tagen's home. As he reached for the brass door knob, Heath had no doubt the men inside were waiting for him. Sure enough, the moment he opened the door and stepped into the foyer of Michael Tagen's home, Conners and Miller stepped out of the living room, their guns drawn. Snake like grins were on both men's faces.

"Told you he'd come," Conners glanced at Miller and then told Heath to removed his pistol from his holster, slowly, and then to drop it onto the floor. Heath did as he was told.

Conners then flicked his wrist, causing the gun he had been pointing towards Heath to point towards the living room. "Go sit in the chair, the one in the middle of the room." Again, Heath did as he was told. Moments later, Miller had taken the rope he and Conners had laid on the sofa and was securing Heath to the chair. Just as Millers finished one of the rectangular shape windows that could be opened blew open when a gust of wind hit it. It caused both Heath's captors to jump backwards.

"I told you to make sure that thing was locked!" Conners barked at Miller, who was hurrying to shut, and relock, the window.

"I did!" Miller, who was tiring of the way Conners always bossed him around, snapped back. "I don't know how it came loose."

It was all Heath could do to keep his poker face in place, as he could see Nick standing off to the side of the window with a grin on his face and a look in his eyes...a look that, basically, said something along the lines of 'this is going to be fun!' 'Guess I have my question as to whether or not Nick would actually be able to stand aside and watch answered' Heath chuckled silently to himself.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

 _ **Previously:**_ _It was all Heath could do to keep his poker face in place, for he could see Nick standing off to the side of the window with a grin on his face._

Miller, who had had to double check the lock on the window-as it had flung open the moment he'd stepped away from it-looked at Conners who was standing a few feet away from their prisoner. "I don't see why we don't simply do away with him. It's all Tagen will do with him anyway."

"For once I agree with you." Conners, who had put his gun back in its holster once Heath was secured to the chair, removed his pistol once more, with the intent of shooting Heath. Only he was surprised when he felt as if someone was pulling the gun out of his hand. The next thing he knew the weapon was flying out of the living room, landing half way up the staircase.

"What did you do that for? I thought you said you agreed with me." Miller snapped.

Conners, whose hand would jerk every once in a great long while, used that fact as a way to avoid admitting to what happened. "I can't control when my hand twitches! Let's just be glad it doesn't do it too often!" He was looking around as he barked at his partner in crime. He didn't like the feeling that; maybe, Tagen's house was being haunted as well.

Miller growled and pulled out his own gun only to find- when after pulling the hammer back- the trigger refused to budge. Turning the gun slightly upwards, in an attempt to see what the problem was, both Miller and Conners jumped when the gun went off and a bullet went through the ceiling.

Once again, it was all Heath could do to keep his poker face in place, as he had seen what his captors had not…Nick yanking on Conners' gun and throwing it, and Nick holding the hammer on the gun back until the gun was facing upwards. Since Miller had never let go of the trigger, the gun had naturally gone off when Nick had let go of the hammer.

"What on earth are you doing?" Conners yelled. "One shot to kill this guy shouldn't attack anyone's attention…but more than that will get people running!" He didn't like that idea at all. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. "Now we have to find another way to do kill Mr. Barkley!"

"Sorry, I'm already gone." Nick didn't resist making the comment, even though he knew only Heath could hear him. It earned him a silent glare from Heath, who was just itching to laugh.

"I didn't shoot on purpose!" Miller growled as he looked the gun over. Then, afraid it would do the same thing over again, he laid it on a small, round table that sat nearby. After doing so, he pulled out the knife he carried on his left side out of its sheath. "I…" he started speak only feel as if some force was pulling on the blade. The next minute the blade was coming out of its handle and was falling to the floor.

"I thought that was new knife?" Conners scoffed as the metal hit the floor.

"It is! Blasted thing cost me five dollars! It was supposed to be one of the best they had!" Miller was furious. Like Conners, he wasn't about to add the fact that he felt some force tugging on the blade to his reply. He might have said more only he thought he heard a door opening.

Seeing Miller looking towards the living room entrance, Conners turned to see what the man was looking at. When he saw nothing, he turned back to Millers. "What is it?"

"I thought I heard something." Miller started to walk towards the living room entrance only to trip and fall flat on his face.

Conners, who could see no reason for the fall, rolled his eyes. "No time to get clumsy! Mr. Tagen should be home soon!" His statement only served to get the two men to bickering.

On the other hand, Heath looked at Nick, who had sat down in a brown leather chair and stretched his legs out. His eyes asked 'thought you weren't supposed to make physical contact with anyone'.

"I didn't make contact with him. HE made contact with me." Nick grinned, knowing only Heath could hear him. "I was actually going to behave myself for a bit. I didn't ask him to trip over my feet. In fact, I didn't know he could." The laughter in his eyes added 'I wondered about it once he headed my way, but I didn't know for sure.' Then, thinking Heath might be questioning his other activities, Nick added, "I made contact with the gun and the knife, not those men. As I said before, nothing says I can't play around with inanimate objects. And," he chuckled, "I never touched them in the barn loft, though I sure wanted to."

Heath's captors might have continued fighting with each other only a creak in the hallway stopped them cold. "Someone's in here." Conners hurried to the room entry way, as did Miller.

Heath looked at Nick, his eyes telling Nick that Heath suspected it was Jarrod and Benjamin the two men were hearing. The minute Heath did that Nick disappeared from his view.

When it came to the noise Conners and Miller had heard, Jarrod and Benjamin had indeed entered the home. The moment Benjamin had stepped on a creaky board in the hallway that led up to the living room, he and Jarrod had darted in opposite directions. Jarrod hid behind a statue that stood against one hallway wall while Benjamin hid behind another statue that stood against the opposite wall. No sooner had they done so than Conners and Millers stepped out of the living room.

"Is that you Mr. Tagen!" Conners called out!

"We have Heath Barkley just like you ordered!" Miller piped up only to have Conners elbow in him the ribs.

"We don't know that's who it is, you idiot! I'm going to investigate. You stay here with Barkley!" Conners nodded back towards the living room. Only when Miller had disappeared back into the living room, did Conners go to do as he had said he would.

A/N This story has turned out to be Supernatural and family...don't look for any real drama.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

It was dark by the time the stagecoach rolled into Modesto, and the driver was never so happy as he was the minute Michael Tagen climbed out of the coach and walked away. The man had to be the worst customer the driver had ever had the 'pleasure' transporting anywhere. He wondered how much penance he'd have to do for the thoughts he was having towards Modesto's banker.

When it came to Michael Tagen, what the stagecoach driver thought of him was the last thing on his mind as he made his way down the boardwalk that ran through Modesto. All he had on his mind was what he planned on doing to Heath Barkley once he got his hands on him, not even the wind that was starting to kick up some dust could distract him away from his thoughts. However, as he drew close to his house, he steps slowed down. The windows were wide open; the curtains were blowing in and out of those same open windows, and the door was wide open.

"What on earth have Conners and Miller gone and done?" Mr. Tagen scowled as he hurried towards the open door, completely convinced his two henchmen were a hundred percent at fault for what he was now seeing. By the time his feet hit his porch, the wind had slammed the screen door against the outside wall. He was astonished when the door actually came off one of its hinges. It wasn't that old of a door, and the wind wasn't that hard!

However, any concern over the broken screen door was quickly put aside as he stepped inside and looked around. While he was elated to see Heath Barkley sitting in a chair in the middle of his living room with his arms wrapped behind it, Michael Tagen was more than confused by the site of Miller cowering in the far left hand corner of the room, a look of sheer terror was in his eyes.

"What is going on! Where's Conners!" He snapped as he took a step towards Mr. Miller.

Miller, who managed to stand up, began to stutter, "H…he w..went to ch…eck on s…some n…oise in the hallw…way. H..he n…eve..r c..ame back." He wasn't about to admit he'd heard some commotion in the hallway after his partner had left, as he just knew his boss would ask him why he hadn't gone to investigate as well...since Heath couldn't go anywhere.

"Stop that stuttering! What happened?!" Mr. Tagen barked only to find himself ducking as a book flew off the shelf and over his head. It sent shock waves through him, and had Miller diving back into the corner or the room.

"Y…your h...ouse is h-haunted Mr. Tagen!" Miller couldn't help but stutter again, though he managed to get control of his voice when Michael Tagen glared at him and demanded again that he stop talking in such a manner. "Things like that have been happening ever since Barkley there arrived." That-things one thing after another happening was another reason Miller had not gone to investigate the commotion he'd heard. Besides, at the time, he'd told himself someone had to keep an eye on Heath Barkley.

"How did you do that?!" Mr. Tagen practically flew in Heath's face as he demanded an answer.

Heath, who was inwardly roaring with laughter, kept a straight face and said nothing. What was he supposed to say? As far as I know, my departed brother is having some fun? Somehow, he didn't think that would go over with his enemy. Besides, he was trying to keep an eye on the foyer. After all, he was still very worried about Jarrod and Benjamin. Like Miller, the commotion he'd heard had him wondering what had happened to his eldest brother and their friend.

"Get out of here!" Mr. Tagen glared at Miller, who was still looking as if he wanted to flee the country. "But keep your mouth shut!"

"Yes, sir!" Miller flew out of the room and out the door faster than any train ever thought of going. Only, unbeknownst to Mr. Tagen, all the man did was run into Benjamin not two blocks away from the home. Benjamin quickly knocked Miller out. Afterwards, Benjamin threw the unconscious man over his shoulder and made a beeline for the sheriff's office where he- Miller-would be placed the same cell Conners was now sitting in.

Unaware of what was taking place with his men, Tagen walked around the chair Heath was sitting in and gave him an evil grin. "I don't know how you did that, or how you convinced Miller-and apparently Conners-this place was haunted only get this…I don't believe in ghosts! You killed my son, and you're going to pay for it!" As he raised his hand to hit Heath heard a noise-he couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from. It had Michael Tagen hurrying to the foyer, gun in hand, to see who was in the house with them. Only when he was actually in the foyer did Jarrod step out of the upstairs hallway, making it so he was at the top of the stairs. The stairs that started in the foyer and ran up to the second floor of Tagen's home. Forgetting any noise in the hallway, Tagen cursed and took a shot only to have Jarrod duck behind a pillar and return fire. Jarrod's shot did not miss it mark and Mr. Tagen, doubled over. However, as he fell, the man turned his gun towards Heath, intent on killing him. However, his eyes widened in confusion as he felt the gun being kicked out of his hand…though he could see no one nearby.

Tagen stared at Heath as he, Tagen, hit the floor. "How are you…" he never finished his sentence as he closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness. By the time he closed his eyes, Jarrod had descended the steps and, closing the gap between him and Heath, started untying Heath's ropes.

"What happened to Howard Conners? How did you go from the hallway up to the second floor?" Heath asked once he was free and standing on his own two feet. Then, not knowing Benjamin had taken Miller to the law office, he asked if their friend was responsible for the noise in the hallway-or if it was Nick.

"We can talk about that later." Jarrod said as he hurried over to where Mr. Tagen had fallen. Kneeling down beside the Modesto banker, Jarrod felt for the man's pulse. He found it only to feel it stop not a split second later. He shook his head and stood up.

"Dead?" Heath asked even though he already knew the answer.

Jarrod nodded. "Let's get him to the sheriff's office and then, like I said, we can talk in your room at the boarding house." However, before either brother made an effort to pick the dead man up, they looked around the room which had become eerily quiet.

"If you're still here, Nick, how about waiting for us in Heath's room?" Jarrod called out and then bend over to pick up Tagen's feet. The fact that a more than concerned look was in Jarrod's eyes when he called out to Nick made Heath wonder even more just what had happened in the hallway. Though, needing to deal with the matter at hand, Heath turned his mind to helping Jarrod carry Mr. Tagen out of the house and down to the sheriff's office.


	17. Chapter 17 and Epilogue

Chapter Seventeen and Epilogue

While Heath and Jarrod had headed for the boarding house after leaving the sheriff's office, they had both felt a very strong pull towards Modesto's small church that stood in the middle of the town. So now, instead of sitting on the chair or bed in Heath's rented room, Jarrod and Heath had entered the church through the back door. They had not worried about being unable to enter the building-as they knew from past experience the reverend never locked either door. 'You never know when someone will find themselves in need of shelter, and I have nothing in here that could be considered expensive enough to steal anyway' had been Reverend Williamson's exact words on their last visit.

Jarrod looked around the simple chapel. A pulpit stood at the front and ten pews sat in the room…five pews on each side with an aisle separating each group. The room was completely empty. "Since we both felt pulled to this place I'm sure Nick will arrive soon." Heath sat down on the front pew that sat on the right side of the chapel. "While we wait, tell me what happened in the hallway, and how you got upstairs."

A slight frown appeared on Jarrod's face as he sat on the front pew that sat on the left side of the chapel-only a few feet separated him and Heath. He sighed and began telling Heath the events that had unfolded after he and Benjamin had hidden behind the statues in the hallway.

 _"Who's in here!" Conners yelled as he pulled his gun out of his holster and started down the hallway. Naturally, he got no answered, and he continued down the hallway. Only after he'd gotten to the statues did Benjamin jump out and knock the gun out of Conner's hand. The two began fighting, and Jarrod-who was afraid if he'd tried to shoot Conners he'd miss and hit Benjamin-joined in the fight. Things would have been just fine only Benjamin's head hit the wall and he was knocked unconscious which; of course, had Conners and Jarrod fighting alone._

 _Jarrod doubled his fist and hit Conners across the jaw, causing the man to take a few steps backwards. Only, when Jarrod came at him again, Conners ducked and grabbed Jarrod around the waist and threw him to the floor. Jarrod pulled out his gun only to have Conners kick the weapon out of his hand._

 _Conners took a lightning fast glance at his own gun only it was lying too far away. He swore and lunged for Jarrod. Jarrod tried to roll to his side only Conners was too fast. Before Jarrod knew it, Conners' hands were around his throat._

 _Jarrod reached up and grasped Conners wrists and tried to pull them off only to find Conners tightening his iron clad grip. Just as Jarrod was sure he was going to pass out he was shocked to see Nick appear. One minute Conners was choking Jarrod, and the next Nick was literally grabbing the man and pulling him off the famous Stockton attorney._

 _"What…" Conners started to yell only to find himself being thrown against the wall._

 _Benjamin, who had regained consciousness stared in disbelief as he watched the scene unfold, though Nick gave him no time to say a word. "Take him," He said as he pointed at the now unconscious Conners, "out through the back door and to the sheriff's office! Then, you need to hightail it back this way"_

 _Benjamin found himself at a loss for words, but quickly did as he was told._

"How did you get upstairs?" Heath, whose heart had skipped a beat when he'd heard what Nick had done to save Jarrod from Howard Conners, asked hesitantly when his eldest brother paused.

" Nick," Jarrod replied slowly as he began recounting the story again.

 _"You need to be upstairs; Tagen's almost here." Nick shocked Jarrod by wrapping his arms around him-which seemed to put some shield around both of them._

 _"What…" Jarrod began asking only to suck in his breath as he felt Nick lifting him off the floor. He couldn't believe it as both he and Nick literally went though the ceiling and appeared in the upstairs hallway._

 _"Nick," Jarrod looked at his brother with both gratitude and fear in his eyes. "I thought you weren't…' Jarrod never finished his sentence as he watched in horror as a hand and arm seemed to appear out of nowhere and took a hold of Nick's arm. One minute Jarrod was looking at Nick, the next moment Nick was nowhere in sight; and, the next second Jarrod heard the front door open._

"I didn't have time to do anything but step out of the hallway and see what I could do about dealing with Tagen." Jarrod let out a slow breath.

"He wasn't supposed to touch anyone." Heath said in almost a whisper, and then added, "But, Nick had to have come back. I mean, he threw that book through the air and kicked the pistol out of Tagen's hand." He then added all the other events that had happened-including the slamming of the screen door. Even as he spoke Heath was thinking of the conversation he'd had with his hot tempered brother the first time he'd called Nick out. He remembered how Nick had implied that if he made contact with anyone it would send him, Nick, to Hell where he'd have a chance to talk to Tagen's son…something Nick had said he didn't want to do. Heath felt pure fear for his departed brother only to see Nick and another gentleman appear in front of them. The fact that Nick's eyes were laughing while the other man's eyes were full of frustration and exasperation, didn't surprise either Heath or Jarrod…even if they didn't know who the second gentleman was.

"No, I wasn't." Nick was grinning from ear to ear. "However, what else could I do but make physical contact with someone? I wasn't going to stand around and watch Conners strangle Jarrod. And, Tagen would have shot Jarrod the moment he saw him so, what else could I do but get our dear brother to a place where he would be in a position to have a chance of surviving?" Then Nick started chuckling. "It wasn't me who did the rest of the mysterious happenings; it was Gideon here." He nodded towards the angel who he had started to refer to as his supervisor.

When Heath and Jarrod stared at Gideon, the angel glared at Nick and then shrugged his shoulders. "If your brother was willing risk his eternal salvation for the two of you, the least I could do was make sure both of you survived."

"What's going to happen to you?" Heath asked Nick, knowing there had to be consequences to every choice no matter what.

Nick looked questionally at Gideon, not surprised when Gideon gave him a look of 'you pushed it once…don't push it again'. "I'll be outside, you only have a minute." Gideon told 'his charge'. He then disappeared from view.

"Nick?" Jarrod, worried for his younger brother, started to stand only to have Nick ask him to sit back down.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to have the Tagens as neighbors." He looked at his brothers, the love and admiration he felt for them showing in his eyes. "However," he looked apologetically at Heath, "I won't be around the ranch for quite a while." He wasn't surprised to see disappointment in his blonde haired brother's eyes, along with Jarrod's. "Don't worry though, Gideon assures me if there is a downright emergency I'll be able to return to the area you are in at the time of the emergency. After all, I promised you I'd have your back, and I keep my promises."

"You won't be around the ranch." Jarrod spoke up, like Heath he hated the idea that his brother wouldn't be near them. "Just how far away are you going?"

"As long as it's not to Hell, does it matter?" Nick asked, and then let out a long sigh as he apologized to his brothers. "I don't know that right now. I wasn't told, probably to keep me from giving you that exact answer." He paused and then-in an uncharacteristic low volume-said, "Please, just let me go. As I just said, if I am truly needed, I'll be allowed to come back. After all, the three of us have unbreakable bonds. Only, for now, being assigned to another area for a while is a slap on the wrist for what I did."

While they didn't like the idea of Nick not being around for any length of time. Both brothers were very much relieved to hear he wasn't being sent to Hell either. "Guess we should be grateful then." Heath gave Nick a small smile.

Jarrod did likewise and then started to say something else only to hear an exasperated ' **Nicolas Jonathon Barkley!'** ring through the walls of the church.

Nick rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I best not keep Gideon waiting; he's not too happy with me at the moment." He then disappeared from view.

Heath couldn't help but laugh as he stood up. "Wonder how much that Gideon is going to age while he's working with Nick."

Jarrod started laughing also as he and Heath headed out the door. "At least a hundred years, maybe a thousand!"

 **Three Years Later**

Heath stood on the porch of the home he'd built two years ago, after he had married a Carlotta Mason two years after meeting her. He could hear his wife singing through the open window. Her audience was their one year old twins, Nicole and Nicolas. He thought on his stepmother who still lived in the main house. He thought on Jarrod-who was married and living in the main house with Victoria. Jarrod's wife was finally expecting their first child. Audra and Will had married and were living with their two children on the Marvin ranch, and Eugene was still living back east.

After thinking on his living family, Heath's mind then turned to Nick. Inwardly, he sighed. Had it really been three years since he and Jarrod had seen their volatile brother in the Modesto church? Heath had dreamt of Nick more than once-especially the day he and Carlotta had married. Still, how Heath wished he could actually see him, talk to him. When Nick had said 'a while', the blonde haired cowboy hadn't thought it would be years. Taking a deep breath, Heath started to turn to go inside when a gust of wind blew through the air, and he felt as if someone was behind him. Heath whipped around. Sure enough Nick was standing off to the side of the house. Though, his heart skipped a beat as Nick told him to hurry and saddle up.

"There's going to be trouble out at Audra and Will's. I've talked to Jarrod; he should be here soon. I'll be waiting for the two of you on the south side of Marvin's ranch, near that old shack Will keeps threatening to tear down." As Nick began to disappear, he chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I've actually learned to control myself enough not to make physical contact with anyone. Still," he grinned wide, allowing his dimples to show as clear as the noon day sun, and laughed, "I'm still going to have some fun with Will's adversaries!" He then disappeared from view, leaving Heath to run into the stable to saddle his horse, after going into the house and simply telling Carlotta that he felt strongly that Jarrod was on his way to their house, and that he and Heath were needed over at his sister's.


End file.
